1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for regulating fluid pressure and/or flow. These devices are generally referred to as fluid flow regulators. The pressure regulators will regulate flow to maintain a desired set pressure level or magnitude. The flow regulators, in turn, regulate pressure to maintain set fluid flowrates.
2. Prior Art
Heretofore, regulators used thin membrane devices such as diaphragms or bellows for pressure level sensing purposes to initiate required operational action. Because of their structural strength, these membrane devices effectively limit such regulators to process applications which operate at low or moderate pressure levels. Additionally, these membranes are usually subjected to relatively high fatigue stresses because of their flexing mode of operation and are generally the chief cause of regulator failure.
An example of such a regulator is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,134.